Cotton growers on Farm Bill: “There’s an appetite to work together”

The House Ag Committee passed its version of the Farm Bill during the last Congress, but it gained no traction in the Senate. Now, cotton growers are paying attention as this session gets underway.

“And so I think there’ll be some really unique demographics that get to really parlay together, really work together, and come together more so than some of the dynamics we saw going into the end of the 118th and the new 119th Congress that is just now getting started. There’s a lot of appetite, I would say, to really come together, and work together to enhance the policy that we have on the books today,” said Plain Cotton Growers CEO Kody Bessent.

Bessent also points to tax reform as another area they want to be addressed. The 2017 tax cuts will sunset later this year, leaving much of the ag community waiting for answers. President-elect Trump has said extending those cuts will be his top priority this year.

Related Stories
Pat Hord with the National Pork Producers Council joined us to recap producer meetings in Washington and discuss key policy priorities including Prop 12 and agricultural labor.
March 15 of each year is the application deadline for the Pima Cotton Trust, and March 1 of each year is the application deadline for the Wool Trust. The law mandates trust payments by April 15. More information about these programs is available at www.fas.usda.gov/programs.
While the Farm Bill is top of mind right now, it is far from the only issue getting attention in Washington.
The sugar policy debate affects prices, trade, and farm stability.
More Farms File for Bankruptcy As Strong Farm Loan Demand Boosts Bank Earnings
The 2026 Farm Bill advances out of committee, but political divisions delay final passage as lawmakers push to protect farmers, SNAP, and crop insurance programs.